Match package



H. MlLANl MATCH PACKAGE July 1, 1969 Filed Nov. 7. .1966

F/G. Z.

FIG. 5.

FIG. 3.

INVENTOR- HUMBERT M/LAN/ (Ymi FIG. 4.

PATENT AGE/VT United States Patent US. Cl. 206-20 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispensing package for boxed matches of the type wherein the matches disposed in a drawer slidable in a shell. The shell provided with a slot parallel to the sliding movement is unreleasably secured to the drawer by a projection affixed to the open top thereof and riding in said slot.

The present invention relates generally to packaging and more particularly to a package for matches.

conventionally, matches are primarily packaged in two common forms. In one form, an outer cover slidably supports a box within the matches are received and access to the matches is provided by sliding the box from the surrounding cover. Quite frequently, the box is removed from its surrounding cover in an inverted disposition so that the matches fall from the open top of the box with the resulting loss of matches or inconvenience in their recovery. The most common form of alternative match package is the common match book which consists of a cover which can be opened to expose an inner cardboard sheet or sheets integrally formed with the matches so that one of the latter can be torn from the sheet for use. Since the cover must be opened to enable removal of the match and a striking surface for the match is provided on the exterior surface of the cover, not infrequent- 1y, a match is struck while the cover remains open and inadvertently all of the matches are lighted with an attendant danger. Such danger is recognized by the wording conventionally placed on book matches, close cover before striking.

In view of the foregoing, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved match package which, although retaining the simplicity of existing packages, both facilitates convenience to the user and substantially reduces the danger attendant such use.

More particularly, it is a feature of the invention to provide a match package including a holder for the matches which can be readily slipped out from an enclosing cover to provide access to an individual match and subsequently readily returned into such cover prior to striking of the match.

More specifically, the enclosing cover is formed as a continuous member so that it need not be opened to enable access to the matches therewithin.

Additionally, it is a feature to provide a match holder and a cover therefor together with means for relatively manipulating the two elements so as to provide access to the matches.

In one specific arrangement, is is a feature of the invention to provide a manipulating member which is attached to the match holder and projects beyond the cover to facilitate extension of the holder from the cover when a match is to be removed and subsequent withdrawal of the holder into the cover prior to the striking of the match.

Yet more particularly, such manipulating member is arranged to extend through a slot in the cover, the ends of such slot serving to preclude inadvertent separation of the slidable holder from its associated cover.

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Furthermore, it is an additional feature of the invention to position the described slot and associated manipulating member on the package in a fashion which enables the matches to be extended from or withdrawn into the encompassing cover with one hand, leaving the other hand of the user free to grasp and use a match.

Specifically, when the invention is embodied in a package including an open topped box, it is an additional feature of the invention to position the manipulating member so as to indicate disposition of such open top to avoid the accidental falling of matches from the box when the package is opened.

It is an additional and particularly significant feature of the invention to provide a package having all of the features mentioned hereinabove yet which can be readily produced without significant changes in existent manufacturing processes.

These as well as other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from a perusual of the following description of the exemplary structures shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a match package of the match book type but modified to embody the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 but in a different operative disposition wherein the matches are exposed for utilization,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1 illustrating details of construction,

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view generally similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a match package of the sliding box type but modified to provide yet another embodiment of the present invention.

With initial reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the match package has the general form and appearance of a conventional match book and includes an exterior cover 10 formed from a single piece of thin and somewhat flexible cardboard folded to provide a front cover portion 12 which is bent at its upper extremity to join the rear cover portion 14 which is, in turn, bent at its lower extremity to project upwardly and overlap the lower end of the front cover portion. Whereas, in conventional match books, these overlapping sections are not joined to enable the withdrawal of the front cover and exposure of the matches within the match book, in the present invention, such overlapping sections are glued or otherwise suitably secured permanently so that the cover constitutes a permanent enclosure. While it will be apparent that the outer cover 10 thus could be formed from a continuous tubular section of cardboard, the present structure is preferred in that it adapts itself more readily to existent manufacturing processes. A conventional striking surface 16 is formed at the lower front of the cover 10.

Within the cover 10, matches 20, formed in a known fashion are housed. More particularly, two cardboard sheets are arranged in parallel adjacent relationship and are slitted from the top downwardly for a predetermined portion of each sheet, leaving however, at the bottom, an unsevered base member 22 to which staples 24 can be applied to secure the sheets firmly together yet permit the tearing of a single match 20 therefrom. The upper ends of the matches 20 are, of course, provided with the conventional heads 26 which may be struck against the striking surface 16.

In accordance with the present invention, the matches 20 and the base member 22 which forms a holder therefor, are housed within the cover 10 for lateral sliding movement through the open end thereof as can be best visualized by reference to FIG. 2. To facilitate such removal, a small pin 30 is suitably attached to the match sheets, preferably through use of a staple 32, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3, and the projecting extremity of such pin is arranged to enter an elongated slot 34 in the front cover portion 12, the general direction of such slot being towards the open end of the cover but terminating short of such end. In turn, a manipulating member 36 in the form of a small plastic button is pressed over the projecting pin so that its outer surface is presented for access by the finger or thumb of a user.

Most conveniently, the user holds the package with its rear portion adjacent the finger of his hand whereupon the users thumb can conveniently be placed over the button 36 whereupon such button can be pushed from the disposition shown in FIG. 1 to the right extremity of the slot 34 whereat all of the matches 20 on the holder are in exposed dispositions ready for grasping and removal by the other hand of the user. After a match 20 has been torn from the base member 22, the user quickly withdraws the holder and attached matches into the cover A or, in other words, to the disposition illustrated in FIG. 1 and the single match may then be rubbed against the striking surface 16 to light the same. Thus, no opening or closing of the cover 10 itself is required and inadvertent striking of the match 20 with the cover in an open position is avoided. Furthermore, even if the matches 20 are not retracted into the cover 10 prior to the striking of the match, they are laterally displaced from the striking area and the possibility of accidental lighting of the entire group of matches is quite effectively avoided.

Although the entire group of matches 20 is shown fully extended in FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that only a small manipulation of the button 36 is necessary to expose a single match 20 for subsequent removal from the base member or holder 22 and the holder, on each subsequent use, need be moved only far enough to expose a single match 20 for removal and use. Futhermore, since the ends of the slot 34 are closed, it is quite clear that accidental separation of the holder 22 and matches 20 from the enclosing cover 10 is precluded even though the two are not stapled together in the conventional fashion.

Although not illustrated, it will be obvious that advertising material can be placed in a conventional fashion on the cover 10 of the package and, if desired, the button 36, itself, can take a physical form representative of advertisers trademark. For example, the button could be in the shape of a diamond if advertising for the Diamond Match Company were desired.

Furthermore, an additional sheet of light cardboard material 40 can be attached to the sheets of matches as clearly shown in the modified embodiment of the invention in FIG. 4 so that this advertising sheet moves in and out of the cover with the matches 20 and their holder 22 and, as the matches are gradually used, becomes visually accessible on both sides for additional presentation of printed advertising thereon. This modified embodiment is generally similar to that of the first embodiment of the invention except for the incorporation of the described advertising sheet 40 and the placement of the slot 34 and associated pushbutton 36 in the rear surface of the cover 10, which placement of the slot 34 and pushbutton 36 in certain instances might be preferred.

With reference to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the principles of the invention can be embodied in a box-type package of matches which includes, in a generally conventional fashion, a match holder 50 in the form of a rectangular box having an open upper end enabling both the deposit of loose matches 52 therewithin and subsequent removal therefrom for use. The match-containing box 50 is supported slidably within a generally rectangular cover 54 having open ends so as to enable the sliding of the box into or out of the associated cover.

In accordance with the present invention, a plastic strip 56 having dependent edges is stapled to the interior of the box 50 and, at one position, includes a pin 58 which projects upwardly much in the fashion of that described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention, through a slot 60 in the cover 54 and, in turn, a pushbutton 62 is suitably secured over the projecting pin 58 to enable manual manipulation of the box 50 to effect extension thereof from the encompassing cover 54 into the position illustrated in FIG. 5, or subsequently, ready withdrawal into the encompassing cover.

Since the slot 60 in the cover 54 terminates short of the ends thereof, it is impossible for the box 50 to be fully separated from its cover so that the inadvertent separation of the two members as in conventional boxes of matches is avoided. Furthermore, the pushbutton 62 is positioned at the open top of the slidable box 50 so as to indicate to the user that this indeed constitutes such open top and thus precludes the inadvertent sliding of the box from its encompassing cover in an inverted position. Thus, accidental loss of the matches 52 from the box 50 is effectively avoided.

It is to be expressly observed that whether the invention be embodied in a match book type of package, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, or in a box-type package as illustrated in FIG. 5, there is no significant departure in the basic structures and existent manufacturing processes and materials can be utilized and but the simple step of adding one element to the conventional structures provides all the advantages delineated hereinabove.

It will be apparent that various additional modifications and/or alterations can be made in the structure as described without departing from the spirit of the invention and as a consequence, the foregoing description of several embodiments to be considered as purely exemplary and. not in a limiting sense. The actual scope of the invention is to be indicated only by reference to the appended References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1937 Wachholz 206-29 5/1950 Gosselin 206-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1933 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

JOHN M CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

